Leaving the curlers out of the cockpit: Cornville teen not a ‘girly-girl’ on the race track

Shelby Kimball, 19, of Cornville is in her fourth year racing at Speedway 95 in Hermon. This year, Kimball is the only female racing in the men's Strictly Street division. When not racing on Saturdays at the speedway, Kimball spends the rest of her week attending Empire Beauty School in Waterville.

Photo by Jeff Pouland

Shelby Kimball, 19, of Cornville practices on a mannequin while attending Empire Beauty School in Waterville on Wednesday. When not attending beauty school, Kimball spends her Saturdays racing in the Strictly Street division at Speedway 95 in Hermon.

Photo by Jeff Pouland

Shelby Kimball, 19, of Cornville (whose car is seen here) is in her fourth year racing at Speedway 95 in Hermon. This year, Kimball is the only female racing in the men's Strictly Street division. When not racing on Saturdays at the speedway, Kimball spends the rest of her week attending Empire Beauty School in Waterville.

And not just because she is a woman in a sport heavily dominated by males.

The 19-year-old from Cornville and 2010 Skowhegan High School graduate balances her time racing cars with her other passion, cosmetology.

She is a full-time student at Empire Beauty School in Waterville during the week.

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But on Saturday nights, she races with the men at Hermon’s Speedway 95.

“It’s definitely different. [Cosmetology and auto racing] are complete opposites. I’m a real girly-girl, although I’m not really a girly-girl on the race track,” Kimball joked.

She has gone from racing front-wheel drive cars during a highly successful career in the women’s divisions at Unity Raceway and Speedway 95 to adapting to the more powerful rear-wheel drive cars in the Strictly Street class at 95.

It is the third-highest division at the track behind the Late Model and Sportsman classes, and they have been averaging 10-11 cars per night, according to track co-owner Del Merritt.